Chapter The Integration Ceremony
The girls worked to put Jaelynn in a pale pink flower dress. They had her hair down with a waterfall-type braid. Jaelynn’s natural curls flowed over her breasts as two little boys about four years old ran back and forth from outside to inside the tent with hands full of flowers that the girls picked through and braided into Jaelynn’s hair.
Outside, they could hear the music and the hoop and hollering. Jaelynn felt nervous as she heard trucks pull up with more community members. How many were they? Kelsey hummed a tune to herself that, eventually, Chasity would sometimes hum too.
Chasity seemed nervous and her hands slightly shook as she worked on getting Jaelynn ready. Jaelynn tried to ignore Chasity’s unnerving behavior, but the reassuring glances Chasity gave her made her feel even more worried about what was coming next.
The girls were too caught up trying to make Jaelynn look good to talk. The polar opposite of what they were this morning.
Every once in a while, a grunt or a short conversation could be heard outside the tent as Colton and Joshua stood on guard duty.
Jaelynn continued to breathe as steady as possible, but she couldn’t help her nerves being on a high. She needed to take in every detail to plan her escape for when the time came for it. She was glad the girls didn’t want to talk. It gave her the time she needed to be in her mind.
“What a stunning view to look upon,” Daren startled her to reality as he used the mirror to look into her eyes from behind her. His gaze was lustful. The girls quickly went to the corner of the room and bowed their heads.
Jaelynn twiddled with her fingers. “Stand and let me see.” He demanded, and she slowly complied. She gave an awkward little twirl around and was rewarded with a soft groan she was sure only she could hear. He approached her and took in her scent. “You smell delectable.” His hand gently wrapped around hers, and he pulled her into him. He groaned again. “I can’t wait till I can have you.” He whispered in her ear, causing a shiver down her spine.
He took a minute to enjoy her warmth before leading her out of the tent. “Come, it’s time to start the integrating ceremony.”
Out on the field was a makeshift dance floor filled with people dancing in front of a large stage. There stood a man singing into a microphone and a DJ off to the side. Around the dance floor were many tables filled with guests. Jaelynn’s eyes popped out of her head, and she froze in step.
There were so many people, especially men. There were way too many people okay with this man claiming he’s a werewolf and stealing women. Were all these women kidnapped? How deep did the brainwash run?
Daren held her hand and kept her hidden from the crowd. He pointed to the stage as two men she recognized as Joshua and Marshall each grabbed an arm of an already weak man. Jaelynn also quickly noticed it was Colton. The man who drove her car off the street. “It’s time for him to be reprimanded,” Daren explained.
Jaelynn heard the girls talk in fear about being reprimanded, but they never told her what it entailed. She watched as they guided Colton to a wooden, beam-like structure. They tied his ankles and hands, so he was bent over the beam and completely vulnerable.
The crowd had already silenced before the man with the microphone spoke, “Ladies and Gents, it’s time we reprimand our pack member for the carelessness of the deliverance of Daren’s mate to the pack, putting her life in danger.”
The crowd booed.
“It appears our pack leader has his hands full with a certain beauty, who I’m sure we are all excited to see later tonight. Marshall will do the honors.” She dared a peek at Daren, knowing very well that the man was talking about her.
Jaelynn watched as Marshall took a long stick from a boy in his teens and walked over to Colton.
In Marshal’s hands was a long black whip. He carefully unwrapped the leather string from the stick and readied his position.
“Why are you here, Colton?”
Colton mumbled. It was so quiet that she couldn’t understand what he was saying.
“Louder so everyone can hear.”
“I recklessly endangered a pack member.” His voice roared over the crowd. It sounded a bit slurred, as if he drank too much beforehand.
“For the pack!” Marshall shouted to the crowd as he lifted the whip and the harsh slash cracked on the bareness of Colton’s back.
“For the pack!” The crowd and Daren chanted back. Jaelynn shuttered at Daren’s strong voice. She shook. Each time Marshal whipped Colton, the pack chanted louder, “for the pack.”
By the end of the brutal punishment, they all cheered as if happy to see someone get the life whipped out of him.
Jaelynn stared in horror. It was a punishment she could do without. It made her escape even more detrimental. Her stomach turned to knots as she watched Colton vomit on the stage before Marshall and Joshua untied Colton and drug him off the stage. He yelped in pain from the simple movements.
Then the man with the microphone caught sight of Jaelynn and Daren, and her worse nightmares came true as he called for them, “Ladies and gents! Our guest of honor has now arrived! Better prepare your drinks because I hear a toast coming on!”
Everyone stopped and searched to find Jaelynn hidden among them. Eventually, all eyes were on her.
Daren smiled ear to ear as he dragged her to the stage. She stood, frozen, as if she stood still enough they wouldn’t know she was there. But in reality, she was a deer staring at headlights, and she was about to be run over—her heart pounded outside her chest.
Daren took the microphone and spoke, “To our newest member and my mate, Jaelynn!”
“Jaelynn.” They all raised their glasses and drank. The other man on the stage quickly handed her a glass. She stared at the white champagne bubbles. Upon further examination, it smelled like champagne and tasted like it. Thank God! She downed it in one go. Where could she get some more of that?
Daren was suddenly on her like a beast during mating season. His face buried into her neck, smelling her as he wrapped his arms around in front of her. “Welcome, mate.” He groaned seductively to her. It brought a tingle down her spine as she wished she could remove the feeling. She knew she couldn’t stay here.
“Let’s dance.” He whispered to her as he guided her down the stage, barely giving her any space.
It was like he couldn’t resist himself to touch her, and she felt herself laughing along with him. When they reached the stage, he twirled her, and she swayed with laughter.
Wait… something’s not right.
The thought left her mind as fast as it came as he swung her around the dance floor.
His touch caused trails of heat to rise from her body. She couldn’t stop smiling or laughing—especially every time he had to steady her because she was laughing so hard.
Wait.
Soft lips met hers, and she welcomed them, groaning as the kiss deepened and the hands became more demanding.
Jaelynn didn’t feel sore anymore or scared. She just felt complete bliss. Bliss from this kiss, she would never want to end.
“Um… sir. We have a problem in the woods,” ugh, Jaelynn whined as she saw Joshua standing in front of them, acting very nervous.
Daren looked down at her and gave her one last kiss. “Be a good girl and stay here.”
She giggled as she stumbled to stay on her feet. “Alright.” She said, smiling into his eyes.
Both men walked to the edge of the party, where they spoke. Joshua was worried about something. Jaelynn watched as Daren’s facial expression soon mimicked Joshua’s.
What’s wrong? Jaelynn thought, feeling worried for Daren. Then somehow, Jaelynn heard a clip of someone’s conversation.
“Cops,”
She stumbled a bit, this time almost hitting the floor. What was she doing? Fear sunk in as she realized she was drugged. She had to get out of here. She looked out into the crowd and watched as several men dispersed from the party.
The cops were in the woods headed here! She knew the cops had no clue about the number of people at the compound. She’d have to go to her rescuers. She had to sober up to slip behind the stage with no one seeing her. She took a breath to focus on her escape. The time was now.
Thank you so much for reading the sixth chapter of The Wolf Cult!
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